Weaning separates calves from their mothers, causing distress to both. Understanding the welfare implications of different weaning methods helps producers make better choices.
Calf weaning welfare is well-evidenced: abrupt separation after bond formation causes significant distress measurable in vocalisations, weight loss, and cortisol elevation for several days. Two-stage weaning reduces this distress substantially by preventing suckling before separation, allowing calves to adjust to milk independence while maintaining social contact. Fence-line contact after separation further reduces stress. These methods require modest additional management but produce meaningful welfare improvements for millions of calves annually if implemented across commercial systems.